Heat pipe type heat sink and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A heat pipe type heat sink ( 1 ) and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The heat pipe type heat sink ( 1 ) includes a plurality of heat pipes ( 11 ) and a base ( 12 ) supporting the heat pipes. Each of the heat pipes ( 11 ) has a heat absorption portion ( 111 ) and a heat dissipation portion ( 112 ) in connection with the heat absorption portion ( 111 ). One side of the base ( 12 ) is provided with a plurality of grooves ( 121 ). The heat absorption portion ( 111 ) of the heat pipe ( 12 ) is pressed and held in a respective one of the grooves ( 121 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a heat pipe type heat sink and methodof manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a heat pipe typeheat sink used for heat dissipation of electronic components and methodof manufacturing the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heat pipes have some unique features such as high heat conduction, fastheat transfer, lightness in weight, and simplification in structure.Heat pipes may also conduct large volume of heat without powerconsumption. For these reasons, heat pipes are widely used asheat-dissipating apparatuses in various electronic products today.Therefore, heat pipe type heat sinks have become an essential subject insolving heat dissipation problems in electronic components.

One known type of heat sink mainly includes a plurality of fins, aplurality of heat pipes and a heat conducting block in which a pluralityof parallel grooves are defined. In assembly, internal surfaces of thegrooves are coated with solder of low melting point, then heatabsorption portions of the heat pipes are placed in the grooves,respectively, and soldered to the heat conducting block by heating thesolder up, thereby the heat pipes are fixed. However, this manufacturingprocess is complex and cost consuming. Moreover, in prior art, theheat-conducting block with the heat pipes fixed thereon is mounted toheat-generating surfaces of electronic components. Heat conduction rateand heat dissipation efficiency are both reduced due to added thermalresistance of the heat-conducting block. As mentioned above, the heatpipes and the base of the heat sink in prior art are connected through acomplex soldering process. This is a technical drawback that needs to beovercome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the present invention provides a heat sink with heat pipespressed and fixed on a base thereof, and method of manufacturing thesame. Moreover, the present invention further provides a heat pipe typeheat sink with high heat conduction rate and improved heat dissipationperformance.

According to the present invention, a heat pipe type heat sink isprovided. The heat pipe type heat sink comprises a plurality of heatpipes each having a heat absorption portion and a heat dissipationportion in connection with the heat absorption portion, and a basesupporting the heat pipes, wherein a side of the base is provided with aplurality of grooves, and the heat absorption portion is pressed andheld in a respective one of the grooves.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heatabsorption portion has a pressed flat surface arranged flush with abottom surface of the base and serving as a heat absorption surface.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the baseis a plate shaped block, and the grooves are longitudinally arranged ona side of the block, and extend transversely across the side of theblock.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each ofthe grooves has an opening of gradually narrowed shape.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, aheat-conducting medium is further arranged between the respective one ofthe grooves and the heat absorption portion.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heatpipes are of U shape or L shape.

According to the present invention, a method of manufacturing a heatpipe type heat sink is provided. The method comprises following stepsof: a. providing a heat pipe with a heat absorption portion and a heatdissipation portion in connection with the heat absorption portion, anda base with a groove defined on a side thereof, b. pressing the heatabsorption portion of the heat pipe to hold the heat absorption portionin the groove.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step b,a part of the heat absorption portion is placed in the groove, and aprotruded portion of the heat absorption portion which protrudes fromthe groove is pressed by a clamp so that the heat absorption portion isheld in the groove.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step b,the heat absorption portion is pressed to form a pressed flat surfaceserving as a heat absorption surface.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step b,the heat absorption portion of the heat pipe is pressed to form apressed flat surface arranged flush with a bottom surface of the base.

By pressing and fixing the heat pipes in the grooves of the base usingthe configuration and method described above, the manufacturing processof the heat sink is simplified, the heat dissipation efficiency isimproved and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a heat pipe type heat sink according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a heat pipe and a base of the heat pipetype heat sink shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an assembly of the heat pipe typeheat sink of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The features and technical disclosure of the present invention will bedescribed fully hereinafter through various embodiments with referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein the drawings are provided solelyfor purposes of reference and illustration and not as a definition ofthe limits of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a heat sink 1 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention mainly comprises a plurality of heat pipes 11 eachhaving a heat absorption portion 111 and a heat dissipation portion 112in connection with the heat absorption portion 111, a base 12 supportingthe heat pipes 11 and a plurality of fins 13 through which the heatpipes 11 pass. In the present embodiment, the base 12 is a plate shapedblock, and a plurality of grooves 121 are longitudinally arranged on aside of the base 12 and extend transversely across the side of the base12. The heat absorption portion 111 of a respective one of the heatpipes 11 is pressed and held in a respective one of the grooves 121.Each of the grooves 121 preferably has an opening of gradually narrowedshape in order to enhance the firmness of the heat pipes 11. The fins 13are made of aluminum, cooper or any other metals with good heatdissipation performance. Through holes are defined on the fins 13. Theheat pipes 11 may be of L shape, U shape or any other bending shape.Wicking structures and working fluid are provided inside the heat pipes11. The heat pipes 11 are each formed with a heat absorption portion 111and a heat dissipation portion 112. Moreover, the heat sink 1 may alsouse any other suitable structure instead of the shapes described above.Since the heat absorption portion 111 is pressed and held in arespective one of the grooves 121, the manufacturing process of the heatsink 1 is simplified while the firmness is improved.

In the process of pressing the heat absorption portion 111, a flatsurface of the heat absorption portion 111 preferably is pressed flushwith a bottom surface of the base 12. Thus, when the heat sink 1 isfitted against an electronic component (not shown), the pressed flatsurface of the heat absorption portion 111 is in direct contact with aheat-generating surface of the electronic component and serves as a heatabsorption surface, thereby heat conduction and heat dissipation of theheat sink are enhanced. Moreover, a heat conduction medium may befurther arranged between the heat absorption portion 111 and therespective one of the grooves 121, so that the heat absorption portion111 can fully contact the base 12 through the heat conduction medium,thereby the heat conduction is further enhanced.

A method of manufacturing the heat pipe type heat sink according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Inthe embodiment, a heat pipe 11 with a heat absorption portion 111 and aheat dissipation portion 112 in connection with the heat absorptionportion 111 is provided, and a base 12 with a groove 121 defined on aside thereof is provided. Then a part of the heat absorption portion 111of the heat pipe 11 is placed in the groove 121 of the base 12, and aprotruded portion of the heat absorption portion 111 which protrudesfrom the groove 121 is pressed against the base 12 by using a clamp. Theheat absorption portion 111 is deformed due to being pressed and therebyheld in the groove 121. In the process of pressing, the heat absorptionportion 111 is pressed to form a pressed flat surface flush with abottom surface of the base 12 and serving as a heat absorption surface.

By pressing and fixing the heat pipe to the grooves of the base usingthe configuration and the method described above, the manufacturingprocess of the heat sink is simplified, the heat dissipation efficiencyis improved and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

While various preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed above, those skilled in the art can make various alterationsand variations to the form of the present invention without departingfrom the spirit and the scope of the present invention. All thosealternations and variations are considered to be within the scope of theinvention as define in the claims.

1. A heat pipe type heat sink comprising: a plurality of heat pipes eachhaving a heat absorption portion and a heat dissipation portion inconnection with the heat absorption portion; and a base supporting theplurality of heat pipes, wherein a side of the base is provided with aplurality of grooves, at least a portion of the heat absorption portionis disposed within a respective one of the plurality of grooves, and theheat absorption portion is pressed so that the heat absorption portionis deformed and held in the respective one of the plurality of grooves.2. The heat pipe type heat sink of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofgrooves are disposed on a bottom surface of the base, the heatabsorption portion has a pressed flat surface arranged flush with thebottom surface of the base and serving as a heat absorption surface. 3.The heat pipe type heat sink of claim 1, wherein the base is a plateshaped block, and the plurality of grooves are longitudinally arrangedon a side of the block, and extend transversely across the side of theblock.
 4. The heat pipe type heat sink of claim 1, wherein each of theplurality of grooves has an opening of gradually narrowed shape, and aprotruded portion of the heat absorption portion which protrudes fromthe groove is pressed so that the heat absorption portion is deformedand held in the groove.
 5. The heat pipe type heat sink of claim 1,wherein a heat-conducting medium is further arranged between therespective one of the plurality of grooves and the heat absorptionportion.
 6. The heat pipe type heat sink of claim 1, wherein theplurality of heat pipes are of U shape or L shape.
 7. A method ofmanufacturing a heat pipe type heat sink, comprising: providing a heatpipe with a heat absorption portion and a heat dissipation portion inconnection with the heat absorption portion, and a base with a groovedefined on a side thereof, pressing the heat absorption portion of theheat pipe to deform and hold the heat absorption portion in the groove.8. The method of claim 7, wherein in the step of pressing the heatabsorption portion, a part of the heat absorption portion of the heatpipe is placed in the groove of the base, and a protruded portion of theheat absorption portion which protrudes from the groove is pressed sothat the heat absorption portion is deformed and held in the groove. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein in the step of pressing the heatabsorption portion, the heat absorption portion is pressed to form apressed flat surface serving as a heat absorption surface.
 10. Themethod of claim 8, wherein in the step of pressing the heat absorptionportion, the heat absorption portion of the heat pipe is pressed to forma pressed flat surface arranged flush with a bottom surface of the base.